Billy's children's books about autism recommendations

 Hello, Billy from Billy and the Sparkling Socks here.

I am here to tell you that as a writer and storyteller, one good way to learn about autism is to read books about autistic characters. As I am only eleven, here are a few recommendations of children's books featuring autistic characters, and most of them are written by autistic authors I have been told.

For teens

Geek Girl series by Holly Smale. The first one in the series is now on Netflix.

You can buy the book here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Geek-Girl-Book/dp/0007489447/ref=sr_1_1?tag=juliedayautho-21

The State of Grace by Rachael Lucas

https://www.amazon.co.uk/State-Grace-Rachael-Lucas/dp/1509839550/ref=sr_1_1?tag=juliedayautho-21

The Secrets of my Spectrum by Callum Knight (a memoir)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secrets-My-Spectrum-Callum-Knight/dp/1916258603/ref=sr_1_1?tag=juliedayautho-21

For middle school children

The Emily Edwards books by Laura Holt-Haslam

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Emily-Edwards-Equestrian-Extraordinaire-Holt-Haslam/dp/B09ZQFSHVR/ref=sr_1_7?tag=juliedayautho-21

For 7-9 year-olds

The Rainbow School series including my (Billy) story Billy and the Sparkling Socks

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/154264853X/ref=sr_1_1?tag=juliedayautho-21

The Pet Rescuers series featuring my classmates, Lyn and Pete.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lyn-Parrot-Pursuit-Julie-Day/dp/1915114047/ref=sr_1_1?tag=juliedayautho-21

(Contains affiliate links)

Happy reading. You can learn different things about autism and being autistic from each book.

Want to learn more about autism?

There are lots of ways to find and learn about autism, and these are the ways that I am learning from too. Even though I have Asperger's myself, there is still a lot about being autistic that is new to me and I am finding out. So let's find out together. I split the learning into two sections: fiction and non-fiction. I will start with fiction.

Fiction

Of course I will begin with my own children's autism books 'The Rainbow School' and 'The Pet Rescuers' for 7-10 year-olds. The first series you can find out from my website www.julieaday.co.uk and the second series can be found either via The Book Dragon or Amazon. I have yet to organise for my website designer to put them on there. All of them can be found on the Book Dragon website https://www.thebookdragon.co.uk/

I have just bought the 'Geek Girl' series by Holly Smale. Holly is autistic and I believe so is the main character. There is also 'The State of Grace' by Rachael Lucas which is based on her own daughter who is autistic.

Non-fiction

There are a couple of digital magazines that I know of. SEN magazine and Autism Parenting Magazine. I have had one article in the latter and hope to have more, which will be about growing up with autism and how my mum helped me over the years. You can find out more about this magazine here https://members.autismparentingmagazine.com/dap/a/?a=55311&p=AutismParentingMagazine.com/freegift

There are lots of books about autism and how to help autistics in life. Here are a few that I know about and I have read: Dr Temple Grandin, Pete Wharmby, Jane McNeice, Steve Silberman. There is also 'Marching to a different beat' by Sarah Ziegel, a mother of four autistic boys.

There are also groups on Facebook/Meta who offer webinars and training to help autistic adults and children. The ones I know about are The Nurture Progamme by Jodie Isitt, Ausome Training by Evaleen Whelan.

There is one community where there is learning from webinars, training and chat groups with like-minded autistics. That is Neurodiversity Training International. They have a community App called The EndeeSphere App, which I am an ambassador of. There is a free membership, which comes with a 7-day free trial of the paid version to start with. You can find out more about them here https://www.endeesphereapp.com/a/2147773941/zqK5pxow

All of the above are run by autistics themselves, so know what it is like to live as such.

Billy is having a book tour

 Who is Billy, you might ask? He is Billy from my first Rainbow School children's book called 'Billy and the Sparkling Socks.' He, and the others in the series, are all in stock at a bookshop called The Book Dragon based in Stockton on Tees. This week Billy's story is having a book tour. There is a great window display promoting the book (check the website www.thebookdragon.co.uk) and see for yourself. So far this week reviewers have mentioned their favourite quotes and character summaries from the book. Here are a few

Quotes: 

“I am good at something!” Billy shouted. He stood up, scraping his chair back. “What?” Casper challenged him. “Don’t know. I will find out.” (Andrew Bell)

Even though his socks hadn’t acted strange, he had done amazing things today. (Deborah Barwick)
“So my motto is, to find out what makes you happy and what you can be good at and work on that. Only then will you be happy with who you are.” (Tania Marshall)

Character summaries

Billy is a delightful young boy who blossoms throughout the course of the story. Initially he feels frustrated by the limitations he feels due to his condition of Autism. He has an older brother who seems to be good at everything and classmates that make fun of him. As he starts to focus on what he can do and where his talents lie, a transformation starts to happen. By looking for the positives and gaining confidence and faith in his abilities, he starts to shine and gain respect from his mother, teachers and  peers. I felt moved by Billy’s realisation that what he really lacked was self-belief and the courage to be who he truly was. As this dawns on him he starts to fly and fulfill his full potential. I could just picture him telling his stories in class and I could relate to the joy he felt from creating them, as I too loved to do this as a child. I loved how Billy showed warmth and kindness to others, even though he hadn’t always received them himself. He’s willing to help out his brother when he starts to struggle, despite how his brother has mocked him for his own difficulties in the past. (Michelle Marshall)

I related with the character, Billy. Being disabled myself, I know just how hard it is to find something you’re good at. Also, being disabled I can relate how hard it is to fit in, I know what it’s like to be laughed at, I also know the challenge of finding something you’re good at. Being autistic, Billy would’ve had a much bigger challenge in this. I was so impressed with his finding that he could tell stories, act them out, and make people laugh. He didn’t think Miss Murray and his classmates were laughing at him. Good job, Billy! (Deb Hockenberry)

So, I hope that the above will get you interested to either read the book yourself, or buy it for a small relative (7-9) that might want to read it for Christmas. There are now three places you can buy the books: The Book Dragon shop (in store or on line), Amazon or my website. 

My writing goals for 2021

 As I do each year, I create a few writing goals for the year. I have worked out a few according to my health, my mum's health and what is going on in the world right now.

1. I am going to continue to write and send short stories to magazine. There is one particular one in mind which published two of mine last year. I plan to send stories to others as well which don't take all rights. I am currently waiting to hear back about one but feel that will be ages now due to the lockdown.

2. Publish Book 6 in the Rainbow School series. This is Erin's story who gets to dance with Alistair.

3. Write and publish the first of my new cozy mystery series I am working on. Am  having fun with this one esp as I have been writing two main character povs which I don't normally do.

4. I might finish the first draft of the rewrite of Rosie. Am a bit stuck on it at the moment. Not sure if it's best to concentrate on one book at a time.

5.  Continue renewing covers for Geraldine's Gems series to create that brand more.

Well, I think that is all my goals for this year. I feel that is enough for now.

Happy writing.

National Autism Awareness Week - What I am up to

It is National Autism Awareness Week this week, so I will be raising awareness of Asperger's/autism and what it means for the person with it. I things planned this week to do this. Here is what I will be up to.

I shall blog during the week about living with autism as a child and as an adult. Children with autism grow up to be adults with autism, it just doesn't disappear.

On Thursday 29th I will be at Sydenham Community Library from 10.30am to 12nn raising awareness of it. I will be selling my Rainbow School books and leaflets about Asperger's and autism. The library will have on display other books about Asperger's and autism, as well as posters promoting my event.

I will be tweeting a lot about Asperger's and autism using relevant hashtags.

So, watch out for my posts on FB and my tweets.

How I plot my books

How do you plot your novels? Above is how I plotted my latest Rainbow School book. I know that some writers use Scrivener, but I prefer pen and paper and to have the sheets in front of me. I can't write straight onto a computer as I get brain freeze, and I want to have the plot in front of me as I write the book. Above you will see I have written brief chapter summaries. That is how I work. But this book is different to the others in the series. I knew whose story each book would tell, but this one I wasn't sure as it features all the characters who appear in the school show. I thought it might be Billy, to show how he has improved but thought, he has already told his story (Billy and the Sparkling Socks). Then I began writing it last month at the weekend writing retreat and a new character came along - Erin. I had a girl in mind some time ago. She wasn't at school before due to illness and was back now. As soon as I started writing about her, I knew this would be her story. She experiences the magic via Alistair and dancing with him; she is a keen dancer like him. Once I have written the first draft, I will have to go back and add in more detail about Erin's background and her home life. More work for me, but am loving writing these books.

So, how do you plot? On your pc or on paper?

The positive things to having an Asperger's Syndrome diagnosis

I am going to answer a few questions that people asked me about having Asperger's. The first is a positive post. I was asked: What are the positive things about my diagnosis? Here they are:

1. As others I know who have been diagnosed late in life, it's a sense of relief. A relief that, as someone else said, after a life of feeling somehow different, you now know why and have a real reason for being that way. When I was diagnosed in 2011, it felt that all the pieces of my life, esp the negative side (not fitting in, difficulty making friends), finally all fit together.

2. Because I know I have Asperger's, and been diagnosed late, I can help others, esp younger Aspies. Giving them tips based on how I was at that age, from school to work. I feel that this is a definite positive thing. This blog is one of those. My new children's fiction 'The Rainbow School' series is also part of this.

3. And lastly, as my author client often tells me, I am good at focussing on what I am good at eg writing and helping indie authors such as him.

Writing goals - the latest

So, how are my writing goals going.

If I remember last time, I said that I wasn't going to write pocket novels anymore, and that is still the case. I am sticking to writing magical realism for adults, and my children's books as well as short stories for women's magazines (womags).

I have finished the third book in the new children's series of books called 'The Rainbow School'. The first one, Billy, is still with my illustrator to do the cover and internal chapter headings. I hope to publish it this month so I can order copies in time for its book launch on 1 October.

Later this week I shall start planning and writing the final story in my adult magical realism series 'Geraldine's Gems'. I've already visualised some scenes so have an idea what happens in it and how it will end. I hope to get that all done and published by end of November, esp for Xmas.

Short stories - they are still a work in progress. My latest efforts need more thought and effort put into them, esp how the characters move from scene to scene or stage directions as they have been called. I have put them aside for now and have been working on another story intended for Woman's Weekly. It is the story I wrote the start and end to at the last workshop with WW I went to about writing stories with a twist so this is a warm twist in the tale.

Once I have finished that one, I am going to rewrite a story that WW rejected last year, turning it into a twist story, then will be a story for Take a Break's Fiction Feast. After that we shall see. I won't be having 5 published this year, which was my goal, realistically I will now aim for just one. I have one story still with TaBFF, so we shall see.

So, they are my goals for now. Hope yours are going as well as mine.

My series 'The Rainbow School'

Work is coming along very nicely with my series 'The Rainbow School' the first in my new brand brand Asperkids. I have finished the first draft of the third book, and started the second draft where I have been adding scenes that I forgot to put in the first time around. Meanwhile, I have met with an illustrator, Rachel Lawston, to discuss about covers for the series. She has come up with great ideas, which I shall post now.

1. I had sketched the cover to Billy with just Billy on the front, but Rachel suggested to have a couple of his friends with him as well but in the background. Shows that he can make friends.

2. She wasn't keen on the title of 'Boring Billy and the Strange Socks' because she wants me to make the whole thing strike positive to readers, esp for Asperkids readers. So, I have now changed it to 'Billy and the Sparkling Socks'.

3. She has also suggested to have the covers in bold colours, and the colours of a rainbow. I like this idea and will go with it. I have researched other books with magical realism in for 7+ and they are all in different colours.

4. After this research, I have decided I want stars all over the front like other books. I had sketched a black hole to represent the other world the characters go in, but don't want that now.

5. Having changed the title of Billy, I have changed the title of both Charlie and Susie - Charlie was going to be Clumsy Charlie and the Crooked Cap, but is now Charlie and the Captivating Cap, and Susie was going to be Slow Susie and the Jagged Jumper, and is now Susie and the Jumbling Jumper. Both reflecting positivity for the reader, and also intriguing them at the same time, I hope.

6. The other thing that Rachel suggested is to have a paragraph at the back of the book stating what the books are about and who they are for. She wrote something, which I put to my editor, who changed it a bit. You will have to see what it is when they come out later this year.

I am meeting Rachel again tomorrow to see what ideas she has come up with, as I have already sent her the ms. We shall see what happens next...

Boring Billy - the inspiration

I thought as a way of promoting my new children's series The Rainbow School it would be good to post about the inspiration behind the stories. In Boring Billy, Billy likes literacy and making up stories but he can't tell them so they sound exciting enough. The inspiration behind this one is me, when I was at primary school. I loved English, as it was called back then, and I liked making up stories. I remember in secondary school that I used to get high marks for my writing in English, and the highest mark you could get was an A+. If you got three then you got a star.

I remember in one English lesson at primary school we had to write a story. Can't remember if it had to be on a theme or not. I wrote a true story about how I was coming down the stairs at home, heard a noise and thought it was a ghost or something scary. So I went faster, ending slipping down the stairs on my back, hurting myself. Turned out the noise was a pigeon. LOL. Wasn't funny at the time, but can laugh about it now. Anyway, my teacher liked my story enough to want me to read it out to the class. I said no, being shy with Asperger's (not that I knew it was that at the time). My teacher read it out herself in the end.

So, my liking for writing stories is what inspired me to write Billy and his love of literacy and making up stories. Because of his strange school socks taking him to a magical world where he sees himself as a confident storyteller, Billy turns into a great and funny storyteller himself, making his class laugh as he acts out his stories.

What inspiration is there behind your books?

What I am working on this week

I thought I'd post what I am working on this week. I have just had back the final edits for my mermaid story 'The Emerald Quest'. There were a couple of minor changes to work on, which I have now done. I have finalised the front and back pages, adding a link to a reader mailing list I have now set up. So, all I have to do now is to put it all together into one document, and format it into an ebook, ready to publish later this week. Oh yes, and I have to save the covers from my email account to my Word folder for the book. So, it is nearly all systems go for that book.

Meantime, I have begun working on a short story for Woman's Weekly that I started a short while ago. I want to finish that and get feedback on that. The other story I have put aside for now to think about it more.

Also, I am writing Susie's story, which I am having fun with. Am learning lots as I research the lessons that Year 6 do now, as I want to write lessons that do happen and can help Susie get more confident in the story.

If you want to be one of the first to know when I have a new ebook out or one coming out in print, then why not sign up to my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/b3zDYv. You will get a free short story called 'Billy, Literacy and News Presenters', which is the prequel to the first book in my next series called The Rainbow School.

Me, Asperger's and primary school

Following on from my last post about a workshop on group dynamics, I thought I would write about what the group I was in at primary school was like. I told the interview group in the workshop this, and I think I might include this in a memoir as part of my Asperkids series of books. Here goes:

At primary school I was very quiet. I went round with two other girls, whom I shall called J and K. One was white, the other black. The white girl I felt was the leader of the two. When I was with them, they wanted me to do things with them, their way, and it included some not nice things. Wanting to be friends with them I went along and did them. When I was on my own, I used to either be on my own and do other things such as dance or play recorder, or play with the younger children. Looking back now, I don't think they liked me doing things on my own without them, so they made me stop going do barn dancing, which I liked, and stopped me playing recorder, which again I liked and was good at. (I remember playing the theme tune to Match of the Day).

I only saw the white girl only once or twice after we left primary school as she went to another secondary school as me, but the black girl went to the same secondary school but was in another group.

The above incidences I still remember all these years later, and I will put them in my children's series 'The Rainbow School' as things to happen to the main characters but something good will come out of it for them.

So, there you have one group dynamic I belonged to. Because of my Asperger's, I just tagged along with others, wanting to be friends with them.